Calibrachoa plant named ‘USCALI17’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Calibrachoa  plant named ‘USCALI17’, characterized by its semi-upright plant habit; freely branching habit; freely flowering habit; large red purple-colored flowers; good weather tolerance; and resistance to  Thielaviopsis .

Botanical classification/cultivar designation: Calibrachoa sp. cultivar USCALI17.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is co-pending with the following related applications: Calibrachoa Plant Named ‘USCALI48’ (U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 10/827,541) and Calibrachoa Plant Named ‘USCALI4’ (U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 10/827,545).

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Calibrachoa plant, botanically known as Calibrachoa sp., and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name ‘USCALI17’.

The new Calibrachoa is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Hikone, Shiga, Japan. The objective of the program is to create new heat-tolerant and disease-resistant Calibrachoa cultivars with desirable plant habit and attractive flower colors.

The new Calibrachoa originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor on May 10, 1998 of a proprietary seedling selection of Calibrachoa identified as code number CJ20-7, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary seedling selection of Calibrachoa identified as code number CJ19-2, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Calibrachoa was selected by the Inventor on Jun. 15, 1999 in a controlled environment in Gensingen, Germany.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal cuttings taken in a controlled environment in Gensingen, Germany since Jun. 25, 1999, has shown that the unique features of this new Calibrachoa are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the cultivar USCALI17 have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature, light intensity, daylength, water status and fertility level without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘USCALI17’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘USCALI17’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Calibrachoa:

-   -   1. Semi-upright to eventually cascading plant habit.     -   2. Freely branching habit.     -   3. Freely flowering habit.     -   4. Large red purple-colored flowers.     -   5. Good weather tolerance; tolerant to rain and low and high         temperatures.     -   6. Resistant to Thielaviopsis.

Plants of the new Calibrachoa differ primarily from plants of the parent selections in plant habit as plants of the female selection are more upright than plants of the new Calibrachoa and plants of the male parent are more creeping than plants of the new Calibrachoa.

Plants of the new Calibrachoa can be compared to plants of the cultivar Million Bells Trailing Pink, U.S. Plant Pat. No. 10,287. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Gensingen, Germany, plants of the new Calibrachoa had a more upright plant habit than plants of the cultivar Million Bells Trailing Pink. In addition, plants of the new Calibrachoa and the cultivar Million Bells Trailing Pink differed in flower color.

Plants of the new Calibrachoa can also be compared to plants of the cultivar Colorburst Pink, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Gensingen, Germany, plants of the new Calibrachoa had a more upright plant habit than plants of the cultivar Colorburst Pink. In addition, plants of the new Calibrachoa and the cultivar Colorburst Pink differed in flower color.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new cultivar, showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Calibrachoa.

The photograph at the top of the sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical plant of ‘USCALI17’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet is a close-up view of typical flowers and leaves of ‘USCALI17’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. Plants grown in 15-cm containers for about five weeks were used for the aforementioned photographs and following description. Plants were grown under conditions which closely approximate commercial production conditions during the summer in an outdoor nursery in Bonsall, Calif. During the production period, day temperatures ranged from 18 to 35° C. and night temperatures ranged from 7 to 18° C.

-   Botanical classification: Calibrachoa sp. cultivar USCALI17. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary seedling selection of             Calibrachoa sp. identified as code number CJ20-7, not             patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary seedling selection of             Calibrachoa sp. identified as code number CJ19-2, not             patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type cutting.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate and develop roots.—Summer: About three             weeks at 20° C. Winter: About four weeks at 20° C.         -   Root description.—Fine, freely-branching; whitish in color. -   Plant description:     -   -   Form/habit.—Annual flowering plant; initially upright to             semi-upright, eventually somewhat cascading; uniformly             mounded appearance. Moderate growth rate; vigorous.         -   Usage.—Appropriate for hanging baskets, window boxes and             patio containers.         -   Plant height (from soil level to top of plant plane).—About             17 cm.         -   Plant diameter (area of spread).—About 48 cm.         -   Branching habit.—Freely branching, about eight primary             branches and multiple secondary lateral branches per plant;             pinching enhances lateral branch development.         -   Lateral branch description.—Length: About 28 cm. Diameter:             About 2.5 mm. Internode length: About 1.2 cm. Texture:             Coarse; pubescent. Color: 144A.         -   Foliage description.—Arrangement: Alternate until flowering,             then opposite; simple. Length: About 3 cm. Width: About             1.1 cm. Shape: Obovate. Apex: Broadly acute to rounded.             Base: Attenuate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower             surfaces: Slightly glandular; slightly pubescent. Venation             pattern: Pinnate; arcuate. Color: Developing foliage, upper             and lower surfaces: 146A. Fully expanded foliage, upper             surface: 147A. Fully expanded foliage, lower surface: 147B.             Venation, upper surface: 147B. Venation, lower surface:             147C. Petiole: Length: About 8 mm. Diameter: About 2 mm.             Color: 144B. Texture: Slightly pubescent. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower type and habit.—Flowers face upright or outwardly;             single, axillary; salverform. Flowers persistent. Freely             flowering habit, about 42 flower buds and open flowers per             lateral stem. Flowers not fragrant.         -   Natural flowering season.—April to October in Southern             California; flowering continuous during this period.         -   Time to flower.—Early flowering; plants begin flowering             about four weeks after planting.         -   Flower longevity on the plant.—About one week.         -   Flower size.—Diameter: About 2.7 cm. Tube length: About 2.7             cm.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 1.6 cm. Diameter: About 4 mm.             Shape: Elongated oblong. Color: More gray than 185D.         -   Corolla.—Arrangement/appearance: Single whorl of five             petals, fused into flared trumpet. Petal length from throat:             About 1 cm. Petal width: About 1.3 cm. Throat diameter:             About 8 mm. Petal shape: Roughly spatulate to obovate. Petal             apex: Obtuse, rounded. Petal margin: Entire. Petal texture,             upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; velvety. Color:             Petal, when opening, upper surface: 74A. Petal, when             opening, lower surface: 60C. Petal, opened flower, upper             surface: 74A to 74B; color becoming closer to 80C with             development; venation, 61A becoming closer to 71B with             development. Petal, opened flower, lower surface: 71C;             venation, 71C. Flower throat (inside): 12A. Flower tube             (outside): 10A.         -   Sepals.—Arrangement/appearance: Single whorl of five sepals,             fused at base; star-shaped. Length: About 8 mm. Width: About             2 mm. Shape: Lanceolate. Apex: Acute. Margin: Entire.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color,             upper and lower surfaces: 146A.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 1.8 cm. Width: About 1 mm.             Strength: Strong. Angle: About 45 to 60° from stem axis.             Texture: Glabrous, smooth. Color: 144B.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity: Five per flower.             Anther shape: Rounded. Anther length: About 1 mm. Anther             color: 10A. Pollen amount: Scarce. Pollen color: 10A.             Pistils: Quantity: One per flower. Pistil length: About             1.1 cm. Stigma shape: Rounded. Stigma color: 145A. Style             length: About 9 mm. Style color: 145D. Ovary color: 145A.         -   Seed/fruit.—Seed and fruit production has not been observed. -   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Calibrachoa have been     noted to be resistant to Thielaviopsis, which causes black root rot     or basal stem rot. Plants of the new Calibrachoa have not been noted     to be resistant to other pathogens and pests common to Calibrachoas. -   Weather/temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Calibrachoa are     tolerant to rain and wind and have been observed to tolerate     temperatures from −4 to 38° C. 

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Calibrachoa plant named ‘USCALI17’, as illustrated and described. 